Rock drill



J. C IS Dec, 1944.

ROCK DRILL Filed May 7' 41 fillje t zbr: cfoizu fl cu z lm Patented Dec,26, 1944 ROCK DRILL John C. Curtis, Claremont, N'. H., assignor toSullivan 'Machincry Company, a corporation of Massachusetts ApplicationMay 7, 1941, Serial No. 392,321

18 Claims. (01. 255-45) This invention relates to rock drills, and moreparticularly to improvements in the supporting, guiding and feedingmeans of a rock drill of the mounted type. i

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved supporting,guiding and feeding means for a rock drill. Another object is to providean improved adjusting means for the drill guiding means whereby thedrill guide may be adjusted into different drill guiding positions bypower. A further object is to provide an improved guide adjusting meanswhich is operated by the motor of the drill feeding means. Yet anotherobject is to provide a drill feeding means embodying an independent feedmotor and'having a releasable lock associated with an element of thefeeding means whereby the drill guide may be adjusted by power from thedrill feed motor. A still further object is to provide a drill feedingmeans embodying a flexible feeding .element and a releasable lockassociated with said flexible feeding element whereby elements'of thedrill feeding means may be employed to effect adjustment of the drillguide by power inv an improved manner, With these and other objects inview, this invention relates to certain novel features of construction,operation and arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in thespecification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a rock drill in which anillustrative form of the invention is embodied.

Fig. 2 is a view in central longitudinal vertical section taken throughthe rock drill shown in Fig. 1, and illustrating structural details ofthe invention, parts being shown in elevation.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional viewjtaken substantially on line3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken substantially on line44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detail cross sectional view taken substantially on line 55of Fig. 1.

In this illustrative construction, the invention is shown embodied in arock drill of the mounted type which may be similar to that disclosed inmy copending application Serial No. 321,346, filed February 28, 1940(now Patent No. 2,338,625, dated Jan. 4, 1944). It will be evident,however, that features of the invention may be incorporated in rockdrills of various other types.

'The rock drill generally comprises a drill hammer motor I, a drillsupporting and guiding structure 2 and drill feeding means, generallydesignated 3. The drill hammer motor I is of a elements.

conventional design and comprises a motor cylinder [containing'a usualfluid actuated haminer piston for delivering impact blows to the shankof a usual drill steel 5, the. latter being suitably supported within afront chuck housing 6. A rear motor head 1 has connected thereto asupply hose connection 8 for conducting motive fluid to the motorcylinder under the con-v trol of a conventional throttle valve mechanism9. Since the drill hammer motor does not per se enter into the presentinvention and may assume various forms, further description thereof isunnecessary, other than to state that when motive fluid is supplied tothe motor cylinder, the hammer motor is operated to actuate percussivelythe drill steel.

The drill supporting and guiding structure 2 comprises a guide frame It]consisting of a pair of parallel guide elements II, II, herein in theform of channel irons arrangediin parallel spaced apart relation withtheir flanges projecting out-- Wardly in opposite directions at theopposite sides of the guide frame, thereby to provide guide The channelirons are rigidly secured together by bolts 12 which pass throughspacing sleeves l3, in the manner shown in Fig. 3. A bottom trunnionsupport [4 has'guideways l5 slidably engaging the lower channel ironflanges, and is adapted to clamp the guide frame in adjusted position byclamping elements it provided with clamping bolts .I1 and engageablewith the lower flanges. Simply by loosening the bolts ll, the trunnionsupport clamp may be released to permit sliding adjustment of the guideframe into different drill guiding positions longitudinally with respectto the trunnion. support, and by tightening the bolts the guide framemay be firmly clamped in the desired adjusted position to the trunnionsupport. The trunnion support has a usual swivel plate [8 adapted to beclamped in a usual saddle l9 mounted on a column or bar 21]. Supportedat the forward end of the guide frame I0 is a drill steel centralizer2|, of a conventional design, adapted to embrace the drill steel 5 forguiding the latter during starting or spotting of a drill hole,'in awell known manner. I

Now referring to the drill feeding means 3, it will be noted thatsecured by a clamp 22 to the outer side of the guide frame, near therear end of the latter and engaging the lower flanges of the channelirons, is a gear housing 23 which supports a feeding motor 24, herein ofa-conventional pressure fluid actuated type. Keyed tothe motor powershaft25 is a worm 26 meshing with a worm wheel 21 in turn keyed to ashaft 28. Fixed to the shaft 28 is a feed chain sprocket 29 whichengages and drives a feed chain 30. Journaled on the spacing sleeves I 3for the channel irons are guide rolls 3! engaging the opposite runs ofthe feed chain which extend longitudinally in parallelism with the upperand lower sides of the channel irons for guiding the chain forcirculation with respect to the drill guide frame. The feed sprocket 29is, as shown in Fig. 3, located directly opposite to one of the guiderolls 3|, so that the feed chain is maintained in proper engagement withthe sprocket teeth. The feed motor 24 has a usual reversing valve 32,and the housing carries a throttle valve 33 for controlling the supplyof motive fluid to the hose connection 8 for the drill hammer motor. Thethrottle valve 33 may also control the supply of motive fluid from asuitable source of supply to the feeding motor 24 under the control ofthe reversing valve. Secured to the motor cylinder 4 are guide elements34 providing longitudinal guideways 35 for receiving the upper flangesof the channel irons whereby the drill hammer motor is guided forsliding movement longitudinally of the guide frame. The teeth of theworm gears 26, 21, in the drive between the motor power shaft and thechain sprocket, are self-locking and serve to hold the drill hammermotor against movement relative to the guide frame when the feedingmotor is stopped, thereby to prevent undesired movement of the hammermotor along the guide frame. Secured to the guide frame, near its rearend, is a stop member 36 with which the rear end of the motor cylinderis adapted to abut to limit the rearward movement of the drill hammermotor along the guide frame.

The improved means for effecting adjustment of the guide frame along theguideways of the trunnion support by power derived from the feedingmotor 24 comprises a releasable chain lock 31 mounted in a guidingrecess 38 in a projection integral with the trunnion support l4, andthis chain lock has an operating screw 39 provided with an operatinghandle 40. The chain lock may assume various forms and preferably hasprojecting teeth 4| adapted to interlock with links of the feed chain3|] to lock the latter against movement relative to the trunnionsupport. Secured to the trunnion support, opposite the lock guidingrecess, are abutment plates 42 preferably welded to the trunnionsupport, and these elements provide abutments for the feed chain whenthe chain lock is moved into operative locking position, and serve toprevent accidental release of the chain from the lock in the event ofany slackness in the chain. It will of course be understood that theopposite ends of the feed chain 30 are secured to the hammer motor I asat 43. The tension of the chain may be adjusted by the adjustablesupport 44 for one of the end, herein the rear, guide rolls 3|.

The mode of operation of the rock drill is as follows: The rock drill isfirst properly set up with respect to the work, in the manner shown inFig. 1, with the trunnion support clamped in position in the saddlemounting of the column or bar and the guide frame secured by theclamping element It to the trunnion support, and, at this time, thedrill steel is engaged b the drill steel centralizer 2|. The operatormay then manipulate the throttle valve 33 to admit pressure fluid to thehose connection 8 of the drill hammer motor, thereby to effectpercussive actuation of the drill steel, and concurrently motive fluidmay be admitted, under the control of the reversing valve 32, to thefeeding motor 24 to effect power rotation of the feed chain sprocket 29through the worm gearing in a direction to effect actuation of the feedchain 36, thereby to effect feed of the drill hammer motor forwardlyalong the guideways of the guide frame. The drill hammer motor may beeither fed forward- 1y or rearwardly alon the guideways of the guideframe under the control of the reversing valve 32 by the feeding motor24, and the direction of feed may be readily reversed simply bymanipulating the motor reversing valve 32, thereby to reverse thedirection of rotation of the chain sprocket 29. The stop element 36limits the rearward travel of the hammer motor alon the guideways of theguide frame, while forward feeding movement of the hammer motor alongthe frame guideways is limited by the front guide roll, in an obviousmanner. When the drill hammer motor reaches its extreme limit of forwardfeed with respect to the guide frame, it will be possible to feed itstill forward relative to the work by first retracting it, then feedingthe guideway forward while at the same time again advancing the drillmotor, and when the drill motor again is in position for resumeddrilling, locking'the guideway in its then advanced position and feedingthe drill motor along it to continue drilling. Of course variations inthe procedure will be possible. Now assuming that the drill motor isretracted as explained, the guide frame clamps [6 may be released byloosening the bolts I1, and the chain lock 31 may be adjusted by thescrew 39 into locking engagement with the feed chain 30 to hold the feedchain stationary with respect to the trunnion support l4. The feedingmotor 24 may then be operated in a direction to adjust the guide frameby power along the guideways of the trunnion support, the feed sprocketthen moving along the lower rearward portion of the feed chain. When theguide frame has been adjusted into the desired position with respect tothe trunnion support, it is again firmly clamped to the trunnion supportby tightening the bolts of the tightening element l6 and the chain lock31 is released, and the feeding motor ma then be operated to feed thedrill hammer motor forwardly again while the guideway is stationary.Rearward feed of the guideway when desired is obviously possible byreversing the feed motor with the chain held and the guide freed. As themotor I will move rearwardly faster than the guide, it should be in arelatively forward position when the rearward feed of the guide is to beeffected.

As a result of this invention, it will be noted that an improved rockdrill supporting, guiding and feeding means is provided whereby thedrill hammer motor may be supported, guided and fed in an improvedmanner. It will further be noted that by the provision of the improvedadjustable supporting and guiding means for the drill hammer motor theguide frame may be adjusted by power through elements of the feedingmeans. It will further be noted that by the provision of the improvedpower operated adjusting means for the drill guide, the hammer motor maynot only be fed along the guideways of the drill frame, but also theguide frame may be adjusted by power into different drill guidingpositions with respect to the trunnion support. Other uses andadvantages of the improved rock drill will be clearly apparent to those.skilled in.

the art.

While there is in this application specifically described one form whichthe invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that thisform of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that theinvention may be modified and'embodied in various other forms Withoutdeparting from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by and adjusting meansincluding a second motor distinct from said drilling motor and a feedingandadjusting element common to drilling motor feed and guide frameadjustment and operated by said second motor, said feeding and adjustingelement being mounted on said guide frame for longitudinal adjustmenttherewith.

2. In a rock drill, the combination comprising a support, an elongatedguide frame mounted on said support for adjustment longitudinallyrelative thereto, a drilling motor guided on said guide frame formovement longitudinally therealong, and means for feeding said drillingmotor along said guide frame and for adjusting said guide framelongitudinally relative to said support, said feeding and adjustingmeans including a second motor relative to which said drilling motormoves during the feeding operation and a feeding and adjusting elementcommon to drilling motor feed and guide frame adjustment and operated bysaid second motor, saidlfeeding and adjusting element being mounted onsaid guide frame for longitudinal adjustment therewith. 1

3. In a rock drill, the combination comprising a support, an elongatedguide frame mounted on said support for adjustment relative thereto, adrilling motor guided on said guide frame for longitudinal movementtherealong, and means for feeding said drilling motor along said guideframe and for adjusting said guide frame longitudinally relative to saidsupport, said feeding and adjusting means including a second motordistinct from said drilling motor, feeding and adjusting elementsactuated by said second motor and a releasable lock for securing one ofsaid elements to said support during motor operated adjustment of saidguide frame.

4. In a rock drill, the combination comprising a support, an elongatedguide frame mounted on said ,support for adjustment in a longitudinaldirection relative thereto, a drilling motor guided on said guide framefor movement longitudinally therealong, a second motor mounted on saidguide frame for adjustment with the latter and relative to which saiddrilling motor is movable during the feeding operation, and meansoperated by said second motor for feeding said drilling motoralong saidguide frame and for adjusting said guide frame longitudinally relativeto said support.

5. In a rock drill, the combination comprising a support, an elongatedguide frame mounted on said support for adjustment in a, longitudinaldirection relative thereto, a drilling motor. guided on said guide framefor movement longitudinally therealong,

therealong, a second, motor mounted onsaidguide: frame for adjustmentwith thelatter and justing said guide frame longitudinally relative tosaid support, said feeding and adjusting means including feeding andadjusting elements common to drilling motor feed and guide frameadjustment.

6; In a rock drill, the combination comprising a support, an elongatedguide-frame mounted on said support for adjustment in a longitudinaldirection relative thereto, a drillingmotor guided on said guide framefor movement longitudinally a second motor mounted on said guide framefor adjustment with the latter and relative to which said drilling motoris movable during the feeding operation, and means operated by saidsecond motor for feeding said drill ingmotor along said guide frame andfor adjusting said guide frame longitudinally relative to said support,said feeding and adjusting means including a feeding and adjustingelement driven by said second motor and relative to which said drillingmotor moves during the feeding operation.

7. In a rock drill, the combination comprising a support, an elongatedguide frame mounted on said support for adjustment in a longitudinaldirection relative thereto, a drilling motor guided on said guide framefor movement longitudinally therealong, a second motor mounted on saidguide frame for adjustment with the latter and relative to which saiddrilling motor is movable during the feeding operation, and meansoperated by said second motor for feeding said drilling motor along saidguide frame and for adjusting said port, said feeding and adjustingmeans including a flexible feeding and adjusting element guided on saidguide, frame for circulation relative thereto and a releasable lock forsecuring said flexible element to said support during guide frameadjustment.

8. In a rock drill, the combination comprising i a support, an elongatedguide frame guided on said support for adjustment in a longitudinaldirection relative thereto, a drilling motor guided on said guide framefor movement longitudinally therealong, a second motor mounted on saidguide frame for adjustment with the latter and relative to which saiddrilling motor moves during the feeding operation, and means operated bysaid second motor for feeding said drilling motor along said guide frameand for adjusting said guide frame longitudinally relative to saidsupport, said feeding and adjusting means including a feeding andadjusting chain guided on said guide frame for circulation relativethereto and operatively connected to said drilling motor and a chainsprocket driven by said second motor and engaging said chain, saidfeeding and adjusting means also including a releasable lock forsecuring said chain to said support during motor operated guide frameadjustment.

9. 'In a rock drill, the combination comprising a support, an elongatedguide frame guided on said support for adjustment in, a longitudinaldirec-' tion relative thereto, a drilling motor guided on said guideframe for longitudinal movement therealong, and motor operated means forfeeding said drilling motor along said guide frame and for adjustingsaid guide frame longitudinally relative to said support, saidmotoroperated feeding and adjusting means having a source of power otherthan said drilling motor and including a motor operated feeding andadjusting element common to drilling motor feed and guide frameadjustment, said feeding and adjusting element being mounted on saidguid frame for longitudinal adjustment therewith.

10. In a rock drill, the combination comprising a support, an elongatedguide frame mounted on said support for adjustment longitudinallyrelative thereto, a drilling motor guided on said guide frame forlongitudinal movement therealong and within which vibrations are set upduring its operation, and motor operated means for feeding said drillingmotor along said guide frame and for adjusting said guide framelongitudinally relative to said support, said motor operated feeding andadjusting means having a source of power other than the vibrations setup within the drilling motor during its operation and including a motoroperated feeding and adjusting element common to drilling motor feed andguide frame adjustment, said feeding and adjusting element being mountedon said guide frame for longitudinal adjustment therewith.

11. A rock drill comprising, in combination, a drilling motor foractuating a drill steel, a guide along which said drilling motor islongitudinally movable, a support on which said guide is guided forlongitudinal adjustment into different guiding positions relativethereto, a second motor separate and distinct from said drilling motor,and means operated by said second motor for feeding said drillin motoralong said guide while the latter is stationary and for adjusting saidguide relative to said support, said feeding and adjusting meansincluding a motor operated feeding and adjusting element common todrilling motor feed and guide adjustment and mounted on said guid forlongitudinal adjustment therewith and said feeding and adjusting meansalso including means operable at will and including means for holdingsaid guide stationary for selectively effecting feed of said drillingmotor as aforesaid and adjustment of said guide.

12. A rock drill comprising, in combination, a drilling motor foractuating a drill steel, a guide along which said drilling motor isguided for longitudinal movement, a support on which said guide isguided for longitudinal movement into different guiding positionsrelative thereto, a second motor, and means operated by said secondmotor for feeding said drilling motor along said guide and for adjustingsaid guide longitudinally relative to said support, said feeding andadjusting means including a motor operated feeding and adjusting elementcommon to drilling motor feed and guide adjustment and mounted on saidguide for longitudinal adjustment therewith and means, including meansfor holding said guide stationary at will, for alternately renderingsaid motor operated and adjusting means operative to effect drillingmotor feed while it is ineffective support and for adjusting said guidelongitudinally relative to said support, said means including means forholding said guide stationary to prevent guide adjustment duringdrilling motor feed as aforesaid, and said feeding and adjusting meansalso including a feeding and adjusting element common to drilling motorfeed and' guide adjustment and mounted on said guide for longitudinaladjustment therewith and means for holding a portion of said elementstationary at will.

14. In a rock drill, the combination comprising a support, an elongatedguide frame guided on said support for adjustment in a longitudinaldirection relative thereto, a drilling motor guided on said guide framefor movement longitudinally therealong, a second motor mounted on saidguide frame and relative to which said drilling motor moves during thefeeding operation, and means operated by said second motor for feedingsaid drilling motor along said guide frame and for adjusting said guideframe longitudinally relative to said support, said feeding andadjusting means including a flexible feeding and adjusting elementguided on said guide frame for circulation relative thereto andoperatively connected to said drilling motor, a rotatable feeding andadjusting element journaled on said guide frame and engaging saidflexible element, said rotatable element bein driven by said secondmotor, and said feeding and adjusting means also including means forholding said guide frame stationary at will and a releasable lock forsecuring said flexible element to said support during motor operatedguide frame adjustment, said lock being releasable to permit circulationof said flexible element relative to said guide frame during drillingmotor feed with the guide frame stationary. 15. In a rock drill, thecombination comprising a support, an elongated guide mounted on saidsupport for adjustment longitudinally relative thereto, a drill steelactuator guided on said guide for movement longitudinally therealong,and means for selectively feeding said drill steel actuator along saidguide and for adjusting said guide relative to said support, saidfeeding and adjusting means including a, motor mounted on said guide andrelative to which said drill steel actuator is bodily movable during thefeeding operation, and feeding and adjusting connections mounted on saidguide for longitudinal adjustment therewith and operatively connected tosaid motor, said connections being actuated by said motor.

16. In a rock drill, the combination comprising a support, an elongatedguide mounted on said support for adjustment longituldinally relativethereto, a drill steel actuator guided on said guide for movementlongitudinally therealong, and means for selectively feeding said drillsteel actuator along said guide and for adjusting said guide relative tosaid support, said feeding and adjusting means including a motor mountedon said guide and relative to which said drill steel actuator is bodilymovable durin the feeding operation, feeding and adjusting connectionsmounted on said guide for longitudinal adjustment therewith andoperatively connected to said motor, said connections being actuated bysaid motor, and releasable locking means for securing one of saidconnections to said support to effect adjustment of said guide relativeto said support, said locking means being releasable to permit movementof said connection relative to said supa port [during feeding of saiddrill steel actuator along said guide.

17. In a rock drill, the combination comprising a support, an elongatedguide frame mounted on 18. In a rock drill, the combination comprising asupport, an elongated guide frame adjustable longitudinally with respectto said support, a drilling motor guided for longitudinal movement alongsaid guide frame, and means for feeding said drilling motor along saidguide frame and for adjusting said guide frame longitudinally relativeto said support including a second motor movable longitudinally with theguide frame during longitudinal adjustment of the latter, a rotatablefeeding and adjusting element operated by said second motor and aflexible element extending along said guide frame and operativelyengaged with said rotatable element, said rotata-' ble and flexibleelements being common to drilling motor feed and guide frame adjustment.JOHN C. CURTIS.

